Detectives from the Los Angeles and Inglewood, California police departments arrested Billy Ray Richardson from Fort Worth, Texas, for murder and sexual assault of three women and one teenage girl from 1980-1995: Kari Lenander, Beverly Cruse, her sister Debra Cruse in 1980 in Los Angeles, and Trina Wilson in 1995 in Inglewood.
On March 5, 1980, the bodies of 25-year-old Beverly Cruse and her sister, 22-year-old Devar Cruse, were found by their brother in an apartment in West Los Angeles. Both Beverly and Debra died from being shot in the head.
A few months later, 15-year-old Kari Lenander’s body was found on July 26, 1980, in a neighborhood in Los Angeles. According to Detective Marica, she was a victim of a sexually motivated crime.
Ms. Lenander was at her friend Toni Garfield’s house, preparing to attend a party. They were going to go dancing and decided to hitchhike back.
They got picked up by a man allegedly named Ken from Canada. Ms. Lenander wanted to keep partying, so he dropped Garfield off at her house at 10 PM. Five hours later, detectives found Lenander’s body.
Through a DNA test, they discovered the race of “Ken.” They believed that he was a white man, but results determined that he was black.
On December 31, 1995, Trina Wilson’s body was found at a park in Inglewood. However, the details regarding her death were unclear, so the city council offered $25,000 for information that could be helpful in the investigation.
Richardson has raped all four victims, and DNA evidence has helped link him to these murders.
“I cannot imagine the pain that these families have endured…Their loss is immeasurable. We hope that together we can bring justice to the families who have endured so much and have waited years for this moment,” said George Gasćon, Los Angeles district attorney)
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/16/us/billy-richardson-cold-case-california.html#:~:text=The%20Los%20Angeles%20County%20District,date%20had%20not%20been%20set.
On March 5, 1980, the bodies of 25-year-old Beverly Cruse and her sister, 22-year-old Devar Cruse, were found by their brother in an apartment in West Los Angeles. Both Beverly and Debra died from being shot in the head.
A few months later, 15-year-old Kari Lenander’s body was found on July 26, 1980, in a neighborhood in Los Angeles. According to Detective Marica, she was a victim of a sexually motivated crime.
Ms. Lenander was at her friend Toni Garfield’s house, preparing to attend a party. They were going to go dancing and decided to hitchhike back.
They got picked up by a man allegedly named Ken from Canada. Ms. Lenander wanted to keep partying, so he dropped Garfield off at her house at 10 PM. Five hours later, detectives found Lenander’s body.
Through a DNA test, they discovered the race of “Ken.” They believed that he was a white man, but results determined that he was black.
On December 31, 1995, Trina Wilson’s body was found at a park in Inglewood. However, the details regarding her death were unclear, so the city council offered $25,000 for information that could be helpful in the investigation.
Richardson has raped all four victims, and DNA evidence has helped link him to these murders.
“I cannot imagine the pain that these families have endured…Their loss is immeasurable. We hope that together we can bring justice to the families who have endured so much and have waited years for this moment,” said George Gasćon, Los Angeles district attorney)
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/16/us/billy-richardson-cold-case-california.html#:~:text=The%20Los%20Angeles%20County%20District,date%20had%20not%20been%20set.
